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Chest binding, or ‘binding’ is exactly as it sounds - binding or flattening the chest tissue to achieve a flatter chest appearance.
Chest binders may be referred to as 'binders', 'ftm binders', 'trans binders', 'trans masc binders' or a multitude of other names, but they all refer to the same item of clothing.
There are many reasons a person may choose to bind their chest, however it is most commonly done to achieve a more masculine appearance, and to alleviate gender dysphoria.
Some people never feel the need to examine or question the gender they were assigned at birth. But for many people, the gender they were assigned at birth doesn’t match how they feel on the inside. Gender dysphoria refers to that ‘misalignment’ between the gender a person feels or identifies as, and the one assigned to them at birth. So the goal of many ‘gender affirming’ products such as chest binders is to alleviate that gender dysphoria.
There are many different types of chest binder on the market. Most traditional binders incorporate a piece of rigid fabric covering the chest area as a means of flattening the chest. As you can imagine, that rigidity can cause a number of problems such as decreased mobility and restricted breathing, which is why we at Transform don’t recommend these types of chest binder.
Our chest binders use multiple layers of soft compression fabric to achieve a ‘bind’ which means you shouldn’t experience any restricted breathing or movement. Nevertheless, we still recommend following our
safe binding practices.
At Transform, we have designed a few different types of binder.
Our
tank and
tee binders are made with multiple layers of soft compression fabric and can easily be put on over your head. They also have no rough seams or tags, so if you’re after a sensory friendly binding experience, this is your best bet.
Our
adjustable crop binders are designed to open at both sides, allowing you to adjust them once placed over your head. This means you can generally achieve a firmer bind with our adjustable crop binders. They do however require a bit more time and effort to put on (doing up the hooks!). So only opt for this option if you’re committed to working a bit harder to achieve a slightly firmer result.
Our
adjustable crop binders also come with 3 different tightness options, meaning you can adjust the setting throughout the day. Or, you can adjust the way the binder fits to your body shape. Whichever tightness setting you choose, you should always make sure it is the same on both sides to ensure even compression.
Depending on the style of binder you're after, we need different body measurements, however the chest measurements are perhaps the trickiest.
The upper chest measurement is taken by putting the measuring tape as high as it can go under your arms and then wrapped around your torso.
The full chest measurement is the widest or fullest part of your chest tissue - and the tape should sit just on top of your skin, not pulling the tissue tight.
The under chest measurement is your rib cage measurement right underneath your chest tissue (think about where a bra strap would sit). You may need to lift the breast tissue to get this measurement.
Our tank and tee binders do not have any rigid panels like many other binders, which means that it should be easy enough to pop on over your head as with any other top. If it's too difficult to pop on over your head then you probably have the wrong size and should go up one size.
We find the easiest way to put the adjustable crop chest binder on is by doing up the first side, popping the binder on over your head, and then doing up the hooks on the other side. Usually the open side will be your non-dominant side because it's often easier to reach across your body with your dominant hand to do up the hooks. The hooks should be adjusted to the same setting on each side.
You should be able to move your arms, bend and breathe freely without restriction and still achieve the flattening effect you want. If you experience chaffing, rubbing, restricted breathing or movement, then your binder is too small.
